1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to toys used for inflating bubbles for entertainment purposes, in particular, a vertically disposed bubble maker with reduced container volume.
2. Background of the Invention
Everyone enjoys blowing bubbles, and the bigger the bubbles the better. Even small children can form large bubbles by simply waving large diameter bubble forming loops through the air. Since small children do not have the coordination to operate the complicated fabric type and lever-activated, folding type loops, they must stick with simple, rigid, single piece loops. Two basic categories of containers can be used for dipping these large diameter loops in bubble solution. The first category includes containers that accommodate vertically oriented loops while the second category includes containers that accommodate horizontally oriented loops. Dipping a loop that is vertically oriented will be referred to as vertical dipping, while dipping a loop that is horizontally oriented will be referred to as horizontal dipping.
The first category of dipping containers includes bucket-like containers that are adequately sized for vertically dipping a loop. There are several advantages of having the loop vertically oriented during dipping. One advantage is that most of the excess solution runs off the loop as it is being removed from the container, so less bubble solution runs off onto the ground during the inflation of bubbles. This results in less bubble solution being wasted.
Another advantage of vertically dipping loops is that there is no apparent limit on the maximum size loop that can be successfully dipped, provided a large enough container can be found to accommodate the loop. A loop cannot be much over twenty-five to thirty centimeters in diameter when horizontal dipping a loop because the thin film pops when the loop is raised up from the bubble solution. However, testing has demonstrated that it is easy to form a thin film of bubble solution across a loop that is one hundred centimeters in diameter when it is dipped with the plane of the loop in a vertical orientation.
Unfortunately, a very large volume of bubble solution is required for dipping a very large, vertically oriented loop. This is the primary disadvantage of using bucket-like containers. For example, if a large circular bucket is used for dipping a vertically oriented, forty-five centimeter diameter loop, then the bucket would have to have both a diameter and a height of at least forty-five centimeters. A bucket this size would require about seventy-five liters of bubble solution, a quantity that is far beyond what is practical for most families.
As a result, larger sized loops are almost always horizontally dipped in bubble solution held in shallow, flat trays. FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of shallow, flat tray 8 in use. A loop typically has a loop handle attached to it for easier handling, and the loop with the loop handle together form a wand. FIGS. 1 and 2 show offset-handle wand 2, which consists of round loop 4 and offset-handle 6. See FIG. 1. To form a thin film of bubble solution across the opening of this large round loop 4, round loop 4 is dipped in shallow, flat tray 8 containing bubble solution 16. Shallow, flat tray 8 is designed so that tray sidewall 10 has a shape that is larger than the outline of horizontally oriented round loop 4 when viewed from above. This allows round loop 4 to fit into shallow, flat tray 8. However, there are serious disadvantages to horizontally dipping loops in shallow, flat trays 8.
Refer to FIG. 1. When using shallow, flat tray 8 for dipping round loop 4, handle 6 must be offset from the plane of round loop 4. Offsetting handle 6 from the plane of round loop 4 makes it possible for round loop 4 to sit flat against tray bottom 12 without handle 6 hitting tray sidewall 10. However, FIG. 2 shows that if offset-handle wand 2 is held upside down, then it is no longer possible to submerge round loop 4 in bubble solution 16. As a result, it is difficult for small children to use offset-handle wands 2 because children do not understand the concept of keeping offset-handle wand 2 rightside-up. This means that an adult must be dedicated to assisting smaller children almost full time. Another disadvantage of horizontally dipping loops can be seen in FIG. 1. Offset-handle 6 must be lowered almost to ground level 14 in order to get loop 4 submerged in bubble solution 16. This requires that the operator stoop way down each time loop 4 is dipped. This constant stooping quickly becomes unpleasant, especially for the adults that are blowing bubbles with their children.
Another disadvantage of dipping horizontally oriented loops is that both the loop and the thin film itself retain a large amount of excess bubble solution as the loop is being raised up from the solution. This excess solution runs off only after the user rotates the loop to a vertical plane in order to wave the loop through the air. If the user rotates the loop to a vertical plane while the loop is still over the dipping container, then the excess solution will run off into the solution in the container. Typically, however, the user isn""t thinking about this and the excess solution runs off onto the ground, so large amounts of bubble solution are wasted.
Another disadvantage is discovered when it is time to clean up. It is difficult to pour the bubble solution from a shallow, flat tray back into a storage bottle without pouring most of the solution down the outside of the bottle. Even if you could get the solution back into the container, you probably would not want to save the solution from a shallow, flat tray anyway. The top of a shallow, flat tray is only a few centimeters or so above the ground, and rests only centimeters away from the operator""s feet. This means that invariably, dirt and debris will be kicked into the solution during use. However, even if the solution is kept clean enough for future use, rather than having to bother with pouring the solution back into a storage container, perhaps it would be possible to use a lid with a shallow, flat tray so that the bubble solution could be stored in the shallow, flat tray itself. However, even this is not practical. It is difficult to remove a lid from a shallow, flat tray without causing the solution to slosh all over, making a mess in the process. As a result, the remaining solution is typically just tossed over the grass to avoid the hassle.
Finally, there is a limit on the maximum size loop that can be used with a shallow, flat tray for blowing bubbles. When the diameter of a circular, bubble forming loop reaches about twenty-five to thirty centimeters, it becomes difficult to form a thin film of bubble solution across the opening of the loop without popping the thin film in the process. This is because it is difficult for the thin film to free itself from the solution in the tray without popping when the plane of the loop is horizontally oriented during dipping. As pointed out above, there is apparently no limitation on loop size if the plane of the loop is vertically oriented when it is dipped.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a bubble solution container which can be used for vertically dipping loops while also minimizing the amount of bubble solution needed to fill the container. Design features allowing this object to be accomplished include a vertically disposed container that has a top view shape that is substantially conformal to the top view shape of a vertically oriented loop. An example of this can be seen in FIG. 8 where the top view shape of first alternate container sidewall 51 is substantially conformal to the top view shape of loop 28. There are at least six advantages associated with the accomplishment of this object.
First, users can now dip their loops in bubble solution while they remain standing in an upright position. Eliminating the need for users, especially adults, to stoop way down to dip their loops in bubble solution makes producing bubbles much more fun and easier on the back.
The second advantage gained by achieving this object is that there is apparently no limit on the maximum size of the loop that can be used if the loop is in a vertical orientation when it is dipped. The third advantage of accomplishing this objective is that most of the excess bubble solution runs off a vertically oriented loop as it is being raised up from the solution. This means that for vertically oriented loops, the excess solution runs back into the container rather than onto the ground, so much less solution is wasted.
The fourth advantage of realizing this objective results from the container having the same top view shape as the vertically oriented loop when viewed from above. The advantage here is that the quantity of bubble solution needed to fill the container is greatly reduced, and is in fact comparable to the amount of solution used in the shallow, flat trays described in the prior arts section. An example in the previous section pointed out that a bucket would require over seventy-five liters of bubble solution for dipping a vertically oriented, forty-five centimeter loop. A container of this invention would require less than three liters for dipping the same loop.
The fifth benefit realized by attaining this objective is that there is no longer any need for offsetting the handle from the plane of the loop. This benefit eliminates the possibility of having the loop reversed when dipping, which eliminates the frustration children experienced when using shallow, flat trays. It also results in freedom for the parents that no longer have to assist these small children.
The six benefit associated with reaching this objective is that the top of the container is raised up well above ground level. This virtually eliminates dirt and other contaminates from being inadvertently kicked into the bubble solution by the user. Clean bubble solution means larger bubbles that last longer, and also greatly reduces the need for replacing bubble solution before it has been used up.
It is another object of this invention to make it possible and convenient to use the same container for both dipping large loops and for storing the bubble solution. Design features enabling the accomplishment of this object include using a vertically disposed container and providing a lid for the container. The vertically disposed nature of the container is important because the solution will not slosh around so readily in such a container, and because the container is easier to grasp and hold steady while the lid is being removed. One advantage realized by attaining this objective is that the need for transferring the solution back into a second storage container is eliminated.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention should become even more readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described illustrative embodiments of the invention.